The Big Beast Sharp in Winning Return
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Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's The Big Beast showed no signs of rust in his first race since winning the Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 23 at Saratoga Race Course.
In a wet, six-furlong allowance contest March 1, the 4-year-old colt by Yes It's True used a stalking trip to win by an easy 1 1/4 lengths at Oaklawn Park .
With Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard for trainer Tony Dutrow, the Maryland-bred out of Deputy Minister mare V V S Flawless loomed two lengths behind pacesetter Alsvid until the stretch run, when he overtook that opponent without feeling the whip.
Alsvid, who finished third behind a closing Double Ours, ran the quarter-mile in :22.82 and the half in :46:35, and 3-5 favorite The Big Beast finished off the six furlongs in 1:10.68 and a good, sealed track.
Purchased at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. 2013 spring sale of 2-year-olds in training for $150,000, The Big Beast posted back-to-back bullet works at Oaklawn in preparation for the allowance race, going five furlongs in 1:00 flat each time Feb. 12 and Feb. 22. The colt had a tiny ankle chip removed shortly after the King's Bishop and did not resume training until the fall.